PHOTO COURTESY OF UNION BOOSTER CLUB

JESUP – Knights senior cross country runner Sawyer Spence recently jumped 10 spots in the Iowa Association of Track Coaches (IATC) Class 2A boys rankings, moving from No. 29 in Week 6 to No. 19 in Week 7 (Oct. 6) following his stellar medal finish at the Jesup Invitational on Tuesday, Sept. 30, on the grounds of the Jesup Golf and Country Club.

The weather was hot for late September with temperatures hovering in the mid- to upper-90s as 20 scoring teams plus 10 others lined up for the mega boys varsity race. Spence, pictured, earned a medal by finishing seventh out of 158 runners with a time of 17 minutes, 9 seconds, to pace Union. Grundy Center standout, top-ranked senior Emerson Vokes took gold with 15:40. Spence’s teammate, sophomore Tristan Keister took 101st (20:16).

Overall, the Knights finished 16th with 442 points. Class 2A No. 3 Denver came in first (85) followed close behind by 2A No. 4 Oelwein (86). 2A No. 7 Waukon was third (134) and Benton Community fourth (146).

Union’s varsity girls team was paced by freshman Olivia Schildroth who took 55th with a time of 23:06.

The winner of the girls race was Starmont junior, 1A No. 3 Lauren Krogmann (18:49).